Structure and dynamics of water near metal surfaces

E. Spohr. Computer simulaton of the structure and dynamics of water near metal surfaces. In G. Jerkiewicz, M. P. Soriaga, K. Uosaki, A. Wieckowski, eds. Solid-Liquid Electrochemical Interfaces, Vol. 656 of ACS Symposium Series. Washington ACS, 1997, Chap. 3, pp. 31-44. 

Computer Simulation of the Structure and Dynamics of Water Near Metal Surfaces... 

Adsorption energy, effect on density, computer simulation of structure and dynamics of water near metal surfaces, 34-36... 

The study of liquids near solid surfaces using microscopic (atomistic-based) descriptions of liquid molecules is relatively new. Given a potential energy function for the interaction between liquid molecules and between the liquid molecules and the solid surface, the integral equation for the liquid density profile and the liquid molecules orientation can be solved approximately, or the molecular dynamics method can be used to calculate these and many other structural and dynamic properties. In applying these methods to water near a metal surface, care must be taken to include additional features that are unique to this system (see later discussion). 

A wide variety of different models of the pure water/solid interface have been investigated by Molecular Dynamics or Monte Carlo statistical mechanical simulations. The most realistic models are constructed on the basis of semiempirical or ab initio quantum chemical calculations and use an atomic representation of the substrate lattice. Nevertheless, the understanding of the structure of the liquid/metal surface is only at its beginning as (i) the underlying potential energy surfaces are not known very well and (ii) detailed experimental information of the interfacial structure of the solvent is not available at the moment (with the notable exception of the controversial study of the water density oscillations near the silver surface by Toney et al. [140, 176]). 

It has been recognized that the structure of water near the interface determines the adsorption behavior of ions on the metal surface in specific ways [24, 30, 31]. Therefore, realistic models of the metal phase are needed in order to describe the inhomogeneity and orientational anisotropy in the aqueous phase adequately. Contrary to the situation for bulk liquid where reliable interaction potentials, from empirical parametrizations or from ab initio calculations, are available, the quantum chemical description of interactions between molecular adsorbates and metal substrates poses substantial problems due to the complexity of the system. Systematic studies contribute to the understanding of the key factors that determine the structure and dynamics at the electrochemical interface. In the present work the influence of water adsorption energy (for many transition metal surfaces a known experimental quantity [32]), surface corru-... 

A subsequent description by Bockris and associates drew attention to further complexities as shown in Figure 15. The metal surface now is covered by combinations of oriented structured water dipoles, specifically adsorbed anions, followed by secondary water dipoles along with the hydrated cation structures. This model serves to bring attention to the dynamic situation in which changes in potential involve sequential as well as simultaneous responses of molecular and atomic systems at and near an electrode surface. Changes in potential distribution involve interactions extending from atom polarizability, through dipole orientation, to ion movements. The electrical field effects are complex in this ideal polarized electrode model. 

---